♪
>> FROM THE FURTHEST REACHES OF
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM TO THE STORMS
OF JUPITER, NASA'S NEW FRONTIERS
PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO TACKLE
QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
DEEMED TOP PRIORITY FROM THE
PLANETARY COMMUNITY.
NEW HORIZONS BEGAN IN 2006.
NEW HORIZON'S FIRST ENCOUNTER
WITH PLUTO AND IT'S MOONS AND
UNCOVERED THAT IT'S DWARF PLANET
WAS FOR COMPLICATED.
NAMED 2014 MU 69, THE KUIPER
BELT HOLDING KEYS TO
UNDERSTANDINGS OF OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM.
THE TEAM WILL USE STATE OF THE
ART LABS TO HELP SCIENTISTS
UNDER THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF
LIFE AS WELL AS IMPROVE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF ASTROIDS THAT
COULD IMPACT EARTH.
TODAY WE ANNOUNCE OUR NEXT
MISSION TO EXPLORE OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM.
>> NASA IS PUSHING THE
BOUNDARIES OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE
AND EXPANDING THE LIMITS OF
TECHNOLOGY.
TODAY I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT
OUR NEXT NEW FRONTIERS MISSION
"DRAGONFLY" WILL EXPLORE
SATURN'S LARGEST MOON TITAN.
TITAN IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER PLACE
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, AND THE
MOST COMPARABLE TO EARLY EARTH.
THE INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD WILL
HELP US INVESTIGATE ORGANIC
CHEMISTRY, LOOK AT
INHABITABILITY AND LOOK AT PAST
AND PRESENT LIFE.
THIS REVOLUTIONARY MISSION WOULD
HAVE BEEN UNTHINKABLE JUST A FEW
SHORT YEARS AGO.
A GREAT NATION DOES GREAT
THINGS.
WE'LL LAUNCH DRAGONFLY TO
EXPLORE THE FRONTIERS OF HUMAN
KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL
HUMANITY.
>> HELLO, WELCOME TO NASA LIVE.
I'M GREY HAUTALUOMA, AND I'M
YOUR HOST TO TODAY'S EDITION.
THE DRAGONFLY HAS BEEN SELECTED
TO VISIT STURN'S MOON "TITAN."
LET'S GET SOME CONTEXT ABOUT
THAT.
>> HELLO, I'M THE ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR OF SCIENCE.
>> WE'RE SO EXCITED TO IS WITH
"V" SELECTED DRAGONFLY TO GO
FORWARD AS THE NEW FRONTIERS
MISSION.
IT'S THE SCIENCE THAT MOTIVATES
US TO DO THIS EXCITING AND
DIFFICULT MISSION.
A MISSION THAT HAS ELEMENTS OF
INSTRUMENTATION, AND ALSO HAS
THE ABILITY OF FLYING IN THAT
ATMOSPHERE OF TITAN, A WORLD
THAT WE HAVE, OF COURSE, LOOKED
AT WITH CAN ICY ANY ANALYSIS
WITH WITH THE ITALIAN SPACE
AGENCY.
>> WHAT EXCITES ME ABOUT THIS
MISSION IS THAT TITAN HAS ALL
THE KEY INGREDIENT FOR LIFE,
LIQUID WATER AND LIQUID METHANE,
MOLECULES AND THE ENERGY
REQUIRED FOR LIFE.
WE HAVE ON TITAN, AN OPPORTUNITY
TO OBSERVE THE PROCESSES THAT
WERE PRESENT ON EARLY EARTH WHEN
LIFE BEGAN TO FORM, AND POSSIBLY
EVEN CONDITIONS THAT MAY HARBOR
LIFE TDAY.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO LOOK FOR BIO
SIGNATURES THERE TODAY.
WHAT AN EXCITING MISSION.
>> AND OF COURSE THAT MISSION IS
LED BY DR. ELIZABETH TURTLE AT
JOHNS HOPKINS APPLIED PHYSICS
LABORATORY.
ALSO BY A CORE TEAM THAT BROUGHT
TOGETHER A VERY DIVERSE GROUP,
CLOSE TO 40% FEMALE.
BUT ALSO AN ENGINEERING TEAM
THAT BROUGHT JUST NOW, JUST A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BROUGHT
TOGETHER THE PARKER SOLAR PROBE,
A VERY HARD AND CHALLENGING
MISSION.
WE BRUGHT THAT TOGETHER BELOW
COST AND ON SCHEDULE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT
WILL HAPPEN HERE.
GO DRAGONFLY.
>> GO DRAGONFLY.
>> THANKS THOMAS AND LAURIE.
THEY WANTED TO BE HERE WITH US,
BUT THEY'RE ON ANOTHER CONTINENT
RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN
ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR YOU YOU.
SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO @ASK
NASA.
>> TITAN IS THE ONLY MOON IN THE
SOLAR SYSTEM WITH A THICK
ATMOSPHERE.
THERE ARE CHEMICAL REACTIONS
GOING ON THAT CAUSE MOLECULES TO
BE FORMED, AND THEN THEY DRIFT
DOWN AROUND THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE
A SURFACE, ALMOST LIKE A LIGHT
SNOW THAT IS ALWAYS FORMING.
IT IS THAT COMPLICATED ORGANIC
SYNTHESIS THAT DRIVES OUR
INTEREST TOWARDS TITAN.
>> AS THOMAS SAID, WE'VE BEEN
THERE BEFORE WITH A PROBE.
>> THE PROBE WAS PROVIDED BY THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY.
AND IT WAS A TREMENDOUS MISSION.
IT WAS DELIVERED BY THE CASSINI
SPACECRAFT, AND IT WAS THE FIRST
PROBE TO LAND ON TITAN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO NEAR THAT
LOCATION.
IT TOLD US WHAT THE ATMOSPHERE
WAS LIKE.
WHAT PROPERTIES AND CONDITIONS
WE CAN EXPECT AND TO A LIMITED
EXTENT WHAT THE SURFACE WAS
LIKE.
WE WOULD NOT BEEN AGE TO DO THE
DRAGONFLY MISSION WITHOUT THE
DATA THAT PROVIDED.
>> IT'S AMAZING THAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THAT, TO FLY TO THE
MOON AND LAND.
WHY IS IT SUCH AN INTERESTING
TARGET.
>> IN ADDITION TO THAT ORGANIC
HAZE THAT IS SNOWING DOWN, TITAN
HAS A METHANE CYCLE.
EARTH HAS A HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
WHERE CLOUDS FORM AND THEY
CONDENSE AND EVENTUALLY RAIN.
TITAN HAS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO
THAT, BUT INSTEAD OF LIQUID
WATER ITS LIQUID METHANE.
AND IT WILL COME TOGETHER IN
RAINSTORMS THAT CARVE THE
SURFACE AND CREATE LAKES AND
RIVERS AND CANYONS.
AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S REALLY COLD
ON TIE ON, IT HAS SIMILARITIES
TO EARTH.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF EITHER ON
TITAN LIKE EARTH, RIVERS, LAKES.
>> MM-HMM.
>> IF WE WERE WITH DRAGONFLY ON
THE SURFACE, WOULD W RECOGNIZE
IT?
OR IS SUCH AN ANCIENT EARTH-LIKE
ATMOSPHERE WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT
WE WERE LOOKING AT.
>> WE WOULD DEFINITE RECOGNIZE
IT.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS WITH
DRAGONFLY, THE CAMERA THAT IT
HAS LOOKING FORWARD AND
DOWNWARD.
AS THE DRAGONFLY FLIES OVER THE
SURFACE IT WILL TAKE PICTURES
AND SEND THEM BACK TO EARTH.
WE'LL HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AS IF
WE WERE RIDING ALONG WITH
DRAGONFLY LOOKING AT THIS ALIEN
BUT YET FAMILI SURFACE THAT
HAS THESE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS
EXPERIENCE FOR THE PUBLIC.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS GOING TO
ENJOY IT.
>> THE ATMOSPHERE IS THICKER
THAN EARTH'S, AND THAT
CONTRIBUTES TO THE METHANE CYCLE
AND THE SNOWING.
TELL US ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE EXCITING
THINGS THAT THE CASSINI MISSION
REVEALED TO US.
WHERE YOU HAVE THE RAIN COMING
DOWN AND THE COLLECTING INTO
LAKES, LIKE EARTH'S GREAT LAKES
FILLED WITH THIS LIQUID METHANE.
IT CRATES THAT WEATHER CYCLE,
JUST LIKE ON EARTH, EXCEPT
WITHOUT THE LIQUID WATER.
THE TEMPERATURE ABOUT TITAN IS
MINUS 300-DEGREE FAHRENHEIT.
THAT'S ONE KEY DIFFERENCE.
EVEN SOW, WE HAVE, BECAUSE OF
THOSE, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK
AT TITAN JUST AS IF WE'RE FLYING
OVER EARTH.
>> WHAT ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT
THERE?
>> FIRST WE'RE GOING TO LAND IN
SAND DO YOU KNOW AREAS.
THAT'S THE SAFEST PLACE TO LAND,
AND WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT
IT.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET TO A
CRATER.
AND WE WANT TO GET THERE BECAUSE
WE THINK AT THE CRATER IS THAT
THE THREE INGREDIENTS THAT YOU
NEED FOR LIFE CAME IN AND WAS
MIXED TOGETHER.
WE WANT DRAGONFLY TO GET TO THAT
CRATER SO WE CAN DIRECTLY
INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU MIX THOSE THREE THINGS
TOGETHER.
9 GREAT THING ABOUT TIE TON,
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TEMCALLY TO
EARTH BEFORE WE EVOLVED.
WE CAN'T ABOUT BACK IN TIME AT
WE CAN GO BACK TO TITAN, PURSUE
THOSE QUESTIONS, LOOK AT THAT
CHEMISTRY, AND GET A GLIMPSE OF
WHAT THOSE CONDITIONS WERE LIKE
THAT LED TO LIFE ON EARTH.
>> SO THE.
THERE ARE A HOLE VARIETY OF
THINGS, AND WHAT ABOUT THESE
SAMPLES THAT THESE INSTRUMENTS
WILL BE TAKING.
>> THEY'LL SPEND A LOT OF TIME
OVER THE SAND DUNES.
SIMILAR TO THE SAND DUNES IN THE
AREA IN AFRICA.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO, WE'LL FLY
DRAG.
FLY OVER OH, ABOUT, IS THAT'S
WHY WE GO THROUGH THE ANALYSIS
WHAT ARE THOSE SANDS MADE OF?
HAVE THEY DRIFTED DOWN?
HAVE THEY BEEN MODIFIED?
HAVE THEY BEEN BLOWN IN FROM
LONG DISTANCES?
THAT WILL BE A VERY EXCITING
PART OF THE MISSION.
>> WHY DO WE CALL TITAN OCEAN
WORLD?
>> YES, OCEAN WORLDS ARE AN
EARTH IS AN OCEAN WORLD BECAUSE
WE HAVE AN OCEAN ON THE SURFACE.
IN OTHER PLANETS WITH ATMOSPHERE
YOU DON'T TYPICALLY SEE OCANS
AT THE SURFACE.
WHAT WE SEE IN A WORLD LIKE TIE
ON IT AND SIMILARLY, THEY HAVE
FOLKS BELOW 9 SURFACE.
THAT HAS.
WHAT DRAGONFLY WILL DO IS LET US
KNOW IF THAT OCEAN IS CLOSE
ENOUGH TO THE SURFACE TO MIX
WITH THOSE COMPLEX MOLECULES
FALLING OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
IF SO, THAT MEANS WE HAVE MORE
UP GREEDS THAT COULD COME
TOGETHER TO COULD LEAD TO LIVE.
>> WE'RE STARTING T GET
QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'LL TURN IN TO HIM.
>> IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION
GO TO #ASK NASA: FROM TED
CURIOSITY.
WHAT IS THE EXPECTED LIFE SPAN
OF DRAGONFLY?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
ONCE WE LAND WE'LL SPEND TWO AND
A HALF YEARS FLYING AROUND
TITAN.
AND WE'LL DO IT, AS YOU SAID A
COUPLE OF DOZEN FLIGHTS.
AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO GO 180
>> WILL DRAGONFLY HAVE WHEEL OR
TRACKS OR ONLY PROPELLERS?
>> IT ONLY HAS PROPELLERS.
IT HAS SKIDS UNDERNEATH SO WE
CAN LAND ON THOSE SKIDS.
BUT ANY TIME WE WANT TO MOVE,
WE'LL USE THOSE PRO BELLERS FOR
THEIR FLIGHTS.
SOME FLIGHTS MAY BE 8 OR # MPH
LONG.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY DRAGONFLY,
BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED WHEN
WE GO TO OTHER WORLDS, IF CAN
MOVE AROUND, IF YOU HAVE
MOBILITY, YOU CAN LEARN MORE.
THERE IS NOTHING MORE
FRUSTRATING SPENDING A YEAR, TEN
YEARS TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE,
AND YOU REALIZE I WISH WE WERE
TEN FEET OVER IN THAT DIRECTION.
DRAGONFLY WILL MAKE THAT COME
TRUE.
>> YouTube IS WITH US, AND
WHAT ROCKET IS GOING TO BE USED
TO SEND DRAGONFLY TO TITAN?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND ONCE WE GET CLOSER TO IF
IT'S A WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT
PERFORMANCE WE NEED AND WHAT
FRONT POSSIBLY.
>> AND IT'S A LONG FLIGHT.
IT WIL TAKE EIGHT YEARS.
WE'RE USING A GRAVITY ASSIST?
>> WE'LL LAUNCH IN 2026, AND
WE'LL ARRIVE IN 2034.
IT IS A LONG FLIGHT.
AND THAT IS THE CURSE OF
EXPLORATION IN THE OUTER SOLAR
SYSTEM.
IT ALWAYS TAKES A LONG TIME TO
GET THERE.
WE'LL DO A GRAPHIST GRAPH.
>> IS TITAN GEOLOGICALLY ACTIVE.
>> AH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE
DEBATING.
IT'S GEOLOGICALLY ACTIVE IN THE
FACT THAT METHANE HAS BEEN
COLLECTING IN LAKES.
AND THE QUESTION IS ARE THERE
CRYO VOLCANOS.
INSTEAD OF ERUPTING LAVA, TITAN
IS SO COLD, WOULD BE THERE BE
IT'S STILL AN OPEN DEBATE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS THAT
DRAGONFLY WILL BE ABLE TO SAMPLE
SOME OF THOSE CRYO LAVAS FROM
THE IMPACT AND SEE HOW THAT
LICKED WATER IS MIXED WITH THE
SURFACE MATERIALS.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT
MISSION.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE MORE
QUESTIONS AT AT #ASK NASA.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND MORE ABOUT
THE ACTUAL SPACECRAFT.
HERE YOU GO, SOPHIA.
>> THANK YOU, GREY.
YES, WE'RE AT JOHNS HOPKINS
APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY.
I'M HERE WITH THE PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR, ZIBI.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> WE FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT
FRAN TEARS MISSION.
>> WE'RE THRILLED AND READY TO
JUMP ON IN AND GET GOING TO GO
TO TITAN.
>> NOW WE CAN PACK ABOUT THE
HARDWARE OF THIS.
THIS IS A ONE-FOURTH SCALE MODEL
OF DRAGONFLY.
>> YES.
>> LET'S DESCRIBE WHAT SIZE IS
THIS HERE?
>> YES, THIS IS A ONE-FOURTH
SCALE MODEL.
DRAGONFLY IS THE SIZE OF A MARS
ROVER.
IT STANDS ABOUT THIS HIGH AND 10
SO WE'RE USED TO DRONES THAT ARE
SMALL THINGS THAT WE FLY AROUND
IN OUR BACKYARDS.
DRAGONFLY IS REALLY A MARS ROVER
SCIENCE DRONE THAT WILL BE ABLE
TO FLY FROM PLACE TO PLACE IN
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF THIS
MISSION?
WHAT IS THE END GOAL.
>> WELL, TITAN IS REALLY A
LABORATORY TO UNDERSTAND THE
CHEMISTRY.
# THE CHEMISTRY THAT TOOK THE
STEP TO BIOLOGY.
WE KNOW THAT TITAN HAS RICH
COMPLEX KELLER UNDER THE SUR
THIS IS ENERGY IN THE SUNLIGHT,
AND WE KNOW THERE HAS BEEN
LIQUID WATER ON THE SURFACE IN
THE PAST.
THESE INGREDIENTS THAT ARE
NECESSARY TO THEY'VE BEEN DOING
CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENTS, AND
DRAGONFLY DESIGNS TO PICK UP
THOSE EXPERIMENTS AND STUDY
THEM.
>> LET'S TAKE A TOUR OF WHAT
WE'VE GOT HERE.
CAN YOU SHOW US WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THIS IS THE ONE-FOURTH SCALE
MODEL OF DRAG.
FLY.
MOST OF THE INSTRUMENTS ARE LDS
THE BODY OF THE LANDER,
PROTECTED FROM THE ENVIRONMENT
THIS IS WHERE OUR AFFORD-LOOKING
AM HARASS WILLING AT.
WE HAVE.
THIS IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE
SENDING DATA DIRECTLY FROM THE
SURFACE OF TITAN BACK TO US ON
EARTH.
THESE TWO BOXES ON THE HIGH GAIN
ACTIVITY ARE BO FOR THE ANTENNA
ALLOWS US TO MOVE THOSE CAMERAS
AROUND.
WE CAN MOVE AND POINT TOWARDS
EARTH TO COMMUNICATE.
AND THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN MOVE
THESE AROUND TO TAKE A PANORAMA
TO CREATE AN UP PARTICIPATE.
>> I THERE IS A DRILL ON EACH
SIDE.
YOU CAN SEE THE DRILL--BECAUSE
DRAGONFLY FLIES, WE'RE NOT USE
TO HAVING AN ARE WE HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT AERODYNAMICS.
WE HAVE PROTECTION TO MAKE SURE
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DRAG WHEN
WE'RE FLYING.
THESE TWO DRILLS FEED A PNEUMATI
SYSTEM.
WE CAN DRILL DOWN AND THEN SUCK
MATERIAL UP INTO THE MASS
SPECTROMETER.
AND THAT SITS HERE INSIDE THE
LANDER.
THEN THERE IS ANOTHER WAY WE CAN
MEASURE THE COMPOSITION OF
SURFACE MATERIALS.
THAT'S THE GAMMA RAY AND NEUTRON
SPECTROMETER.
WE CAN WE GET VERY HIGH, VERY
FINE MEASUREMENTS AT VERY LOCAL
LANDING SIGHTS AND THEM WE CAN
GET A FEW--
>> THIS WILL SEND A PULSE OF
ENERGY.
>> YES, USUALLY WHEN WE HAVE
GAMMA RAY SPECTROMETER IN
FLIGHT, WE CAN USE THE COSMIC
RAYS AS IT'S SOURCES.
BUT THE ATMOSPHERE THEY WOULDS
YOU FROM THAT.
WE HAVE TO BRING A NEW TRAP, AND
SENSE THE NEW MATERIALS IN THE
SUB SURFACE.
>> IT IS UNUSUAL TO HAVE A
FLYING DEVICE HERE.
WE HAVE EIGHT ROTORS ON THIS.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO FLY
INSTEAD OF ROLE?
>> YES, SO FLYING ON TITAN IS
ACTUALLY EASIER THAN FLYING ON
EARTH.
THE ATMOSPHERE IS FOUR TIMES
DENSER AT THE PAR IT WAS
AND IT'S ACTUALLY EASER TO FLY
ON TITAN.
SO IF YOU PUT ON WINGS, IT WOULD
BE EASIER TO FLY ON TITAN.
SO IT'S THE EASIER WAY TO GO AND
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
MATERIALS ON THE SURFACE HAVE
INTERACTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
>> WONDERFUL.
SO MUCH MORE SCIENCE WHICH IS
ALL THAT WE WANT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AGAIN
BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE PARTS
BEHIND HERE.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT.
>> YES, DRAGONFLY IS DESIGNED TO
MULTI MISSION ISOTROPE MISSION.
AND SO WE USE THIS TO CHARGE A
BATTERY.
AND TEN ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES
ARE PERFORMED OFF OF THAT
BATTERY.
SO WHEN WE FLY, WE FLY OFF THE
BATTERY.
THEN WHEN WE LAND, WE CAN
RECHARGE FROM THE MRTG BECAUSE
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SIGN LIGHT
THAT GETS TO THE SURFACE OF
TITAN THAT FAR OUT IN THE SOLAR
SYSTEM IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO
SOLAR POWER.
>> IS THERE SOMETHING THAT
YOU'RE REALLY EAGER TO TELL THE
PUBLIC ABOUT THIS MISSION?
>> THE THING--THERE ARE SO MANY
THINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS
PARTICULARLY EXCITING ABOUT THIS
MISSION IS THAT WE CAN DO THE
VERY DETAILED CHEMICAL
MEASUREMENT, BUT TO BE ABLE TO
PUT THEM IN TITAN AS A SYSTEM SO
WE UNDERSTAND THE WAY THE
MATERIALS INTERACT, THE WAY THEY
HAVE BEEN MIXED TOGETHER.
WE HAVE IN ADDITION TO THE
CAMERAS AND THE INSTRUMENTS THAT
MEASURE THE ATMOSPHERE AND
UNDERSTAND HOW IT CHANGES FROM
DAY-TO-DAY, AND WE HAVE A SIZE
SIZEMOMETER AND UNDERSTAND THE
SEISMIC ACTIVITY AND THE
THICKNESS OF THE ICE SHELF OVER
THE DEEP INTERIOR LIQUID WATER.
>> THE WAY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
THIS MISSION, IT SOUNDS LIKE
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PLANET,
BUT THIS IS A MOON THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
IT HAS RIVERS, AN ATMOSPHERE,
AND STILL, IT'S ORBITING SATURN.
HOW WONDERFUL WOULD IT BE TO GO
AFTER THERE.
WE HAVE THE MATERIALS THAT ARE
AT THESE LOW TEMPERATURES AND
THE BEDROCK ARE ICE AND SAN
DUNES ARE MADE OF ORGANNING SAND
GRAINS.
AND THE LIQUID ON THE SURFACE IS
LIQUID METHANE.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THESE ARE
VERY DIFFERENT MATERIALS THAN
WE'RE USED TO, THE ENVIRONMENT
THAT THEY'VE MADE WAS UP
CREDITABLY FAMILIAR FEEL.
>> LET'S TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THAT
VARIABILITY.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
>> THE DRAGONFLY, THE INITIAL
LANDING FLIGHT ARE THAT IS
EQUATORIAL DUNES.
THEY HAVE THE LARGEST ZEN
GARDENS WRAPPED AROUND THE
EQUATORIAL REGION.
ALTHOUGH THE MATERIALS ARE VERY
DIFFERENT, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR
TO SOME OF THE REGIONS THAT WE
HAVE HERE ON EARTH.
THERE IS A VERY GOOD ANALOGUE
FOR THE DUNES THAT WE'LL BE
VISITING IN THE DESERT WHERE WE
HAVE DUNES THAT AE VERY SIMILAR
BUT MADE OF SILICON AND ARE
WARMER.
>> I THINK ITS TIME TO GO WITH
SOME QUESTIONS WITH #ASK NASA.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
WE'VE GOT GOING HERE.
TOM IS ASKING, WILL WE GET
HIGH-QUALITY PICTURES?
>> YES, WE'LL HAVE A SUITE OF
CAMERAS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO
TAKE DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS.
WE'LL IMAGE FORWARD AND
DOWNWARD, AND VERY HIGH
RESOLUTION CAMERAS UNDERNEATH
THE LANDER THAT WILL IMAGE THE
SITE WHERE WE'RE SAMPLING AT
VERY HIGH RESOLUTION.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE CONTEXT
OF DIFFERENT SCALES WITH THE CAM
FROM A THING THAT SITS REALLY
FUN BECAUSE WE HAVE DUNES ON
TITAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT
TO STUDY IS THE WAY THE SANDS
MOVE.
HOW MUCH WIND DO YOU NEED TO
MAKE THE STAND MOVES.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR
THERE TO BE A BREEZE.
>> JUST ONE ROTOR AT A TIME?
>> EXACTLY.
>> THEN WE CAN USE THE CAMERAS
TO LOOK DOWN IN THAT AREA AND
WATCH AND SEE HOW MUCH IT TOOK
TO GET THE SANDS TO MOVE.
>> I'M EXCITED TO SEE THESE
PICTURES COME BACK.
TOO BAD IT WILL BE A FEW YEARS.
>> IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT.
YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT.
>> WE IS THERE A THICK WHITE SAN
AND KEY AREAS OF EXPLORATION,
AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
>> YES, CASSINI HAS DONE A LOT
OF WORK FOR US TO SCOUT THE AREA
THAT WE'LL BE LANDING IN.
WE'LL INITIALLY LAND IN THE SAND
DUNES.
THERE WILL BE RICH MATERIAL IN
THE SAND DUNES THEMSELVES AND
THE SAND PARTICLES THEMSELVES.
AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN INTO THE
IMPACT CRATER, SO WE HAVE
INFORMATION FROM C ASSINI AT THE
HIGH LEVEL ABOUT THE NATURE OF
THE SURFACE AND WHAT WE MAY
ENCOUNTER.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
DO IS EX-FLOOR THAT HIGH
RESOLUTION AT A MUCH MORE.
>> WILL RAIN ON TITAN POSE ANY
THREAT?
>> WE HAVE THOROUGHLY TESTED THE
SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS
NOT A THREAT IN TERMS OF THE
FLIGHT SYSTEM.
AND AT THIS TIME IN TITAN'S YEAR
WE DON'T ACTUALLY EXPECT RAIN AT
THE LOW LATITUDES.
TITAN'S YEAR IS--BECAUSE SATURN
SYSTEM HAS A TOTE SYSTEM SIMILAR
TO EARTH.
TODAY TAN HAS SIMILAR SENSE.
IN NORTHERN WINTER, THE NORTH
WOOL IS NOT ILLUMINATED BY THE
SUN.
EXCEPT FOR TITAN'S YEARS ARE 12
YEARS LONG.
BUT BECAUSE CASSINI WAS ABLE TO
OBSERVE 13 YEARS, IT'S ALMOST A
HALF A TITAN YEAR.
WE KNOW HOW THE AND BECAUSE
WE'RE GOING TO BE LANDING AN AT
A SIMILAR LATITUDE OF THE ROVER,
AND AT THAT TIME OF YEAR THE
WEATHER SYSTEMS ARE AT THE SOUTH
POLE.
>> WILL DRAGONFLY BE ABLE TO
TRANSMIT VIDEO.
>> WELL, WE'LL TAKE A SERIES OF
I THINK MAGAZINESES, AND WE WOP
WE'RE TRANSMITTING FROM THE
SURFACE OF TITAN TO EARTH, WE'LL
BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A SERIES
OF IMAGES IN A SEQUENCE.
>> WE'LL BE GETTING IMAGES FROM
THE SURFACE OF TITAN.
IT WILL BE GOOD.
>> FROM TWITTER, CAN DRAGONFLY
LAND ON HILLS OR MOUNTAINOUS
AREAS?
>> SO DRAGONFLY IS DESIGNED TO
FLY AUTONOMOUSLY, AND TO LAND
AUTONOMOUSLY.
SO WE HAVE A HARD NAVIGATION
SYSTEM SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
DETECT SLOPES THAT ARE TOO STEEP
IS TO LAND ON AND THEN NAVIGATE
TO WIDENING INFORMATIONING
SIGHTS.
TO SOME DEGREE IT IS SLOPE BUT
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND AN
AREA THAT THEY CAN LAND ON.
>> AND THEN WHO MANAGES THIS
MISSION?
>> THE MICHIGAN IS MISSION
>> IT WILL BE FROM HERE AT JOHNS
HOPKINS APPLIED PHYSICS
LABORATORY.
>> WE HAVE DONE THE INITIAL
MISSION CONCEPT.
WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE
CONCEPT CLOSES.
THAT THE DESIGN IS ROBUST TO THE
ENVIRONMENT THAT WE UNDERSTAND.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MISSION,
THERE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE DESIGN
TWEAKS, MODIFICATIONS AS WE
START TO BUILD THE DIFFERENT
UNITS TOGETHER.
THE FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN OF
DRAGONFLY, WE WOULD EXPECT TO
SEE IT STAY VERY MUCH THE SAME.
THERE MAY BE MODIFICATIONS,
MAYBE TO THE AERODYNAMIC SHAPE.
I THINK THE ROTO COPTER WILL
APPRECIATE THAT.
>> BEFORE WE GO TO OUR NEXT
SECTION, I WANT TO REMIND YOU IN
THIS FRONT AREA WE HAVE A MASS
SPECTROMETER.
AND I HEAR THAT WE HAVE A GRAT
MODEL OF THAT BACK IN THE
STUDIO.
SO GREY, TAKE IT AWAY. THANK
YOU.
>> THANKS, LADIES.
SO AS ZIBI MENTIONED, THE MODEL
SHE WAS SHOWING TO YOU IS A
ONE-QUARTER SCALE MODEL.
HERE YOU HAVE THE MASS
SPECTROMETER THAT SITS AT THE
FRONT NOSE OF DRAGONFLY.
IT'S AT THE TOP.
YOU HEARD US TALK.
OUR COLD WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
KEEP THEM WARM.
THIS AREA RIGHT HERE, WHICH I'LL
TALK ABOUT, BUT THE MASS
SPECTROMETER IS THERE, SO WE'LL
BE ABLE TO GET DATA TO DETERMINE
WHAT THE SURFACE OF TITAN IS
BUILT OF.
THIS IS AN AN INCREDIBLE AND
COMPLICATED FORM OF IT.
WE HAVE DRILLS IN THE SKIDS OF
DRAGONFLY.
IT WILL CREATE A SAMPLE AND THEN
STUCKED IT FROM THAT TUBE TO THE
FRONT.
AND THESE CELLS HERE, THESE
TUBES ARE CERTAIN SAMPLE CELLS.
THERE ARE 48 OF THEM.
THE SAMPLES ARE DELIVERED TO
THESE TUBES AND THEN WE CAN TAKE
TWO DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS.
THERE IS A MASS SPECTROMETER,
AND FOR THE SECOND MEASUREMENT
WE BAKE IT.
WE HEAT IT UP SO IT WILL CREATE
GASSES.
AND THEN THIS WILL IT GIVES US A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION
ABOUT THE COPE BOTTLE, AT ALSO
FOR SIGNS OF LIFE.
>> THANKS A LOT, CURT.
IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE CAN
SEE A LIFE-SIZED MODEL AN
INSTRUMENT THAT WILL FLY HALFWAY
ACROSS THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
IF YOU'RE TUNING IN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SATURN'S TITAN,
WHERE WE'RE GOING FLY.
THIS IS PART OF THE NEW
FRONTIERS PROGRAM.
WE HAVE CURT NIEBUR AND ANOTHER
TEAM MEMBER WITH US NOW, LYNNAE
QUICK, HEAD OF THE SCIENCE AND
SCIENCE
DRAGONFLY IS ABOUT THE FUTURE.
TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.
>> YES A UNIQUE STUDENT TO GET
STUDENTS INVOLVED IN DRAGONFLY
SCIENCE.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE
STUDENTS COME AND SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEER WORK ON THE DRAGONFLY
MISSION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
LIFE CYCLE OF THE MISSION.
WE HOPE TO HAVE STUDENTS GET
EXPERIENCE IN REALTIME AND
WORKING WITH THEM AND TAP A WAY
TO WORKING WITH THEM LATER IN
THEIR CAREERS.
>> WHY IS S.O.E. IMPORTANT?
>> S.O.E. IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TRAIN THE
NEXT GENERATION OF PLANETARY
BLOOD CASTS.
AND THIS IS A PRFECT MODEL TO
DO THAT.
WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS BRING
STUDENT FROM A BLOOD --THIS IS
LABORATORY WITH A GRAB BAG OF SO
MANY THINGS THEY CAN DO.
AND IT WILL MAKE A GREAT
CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE.
DRAGONFLY WILL NOT BE LAUNCHING
UNTIL 2026, AND THEN IT WILL
REACH TITAN IN 2034.
BY THAT TIME A LOT OF US ON THE
MISSION NOW WILL BE MID CAREER
OR LATE CAREER, AND REALLY WHAT
WE WANT TO DO IS TRAIN PEOPLE
WHO CAN COME AND WHO CAN TAKE
OVER AND PICK UP UP THE REIGNS
FAR AS LEADERSHIP ON OUR
MISSION.
NOT ONLY ON DRAGONFLY BUT OTHER
MISSIONS FOR THE FUTURE.
>> SO YOU'RE A SCIENTIST.
I IMAGINE THIS WOULD HAVE
INTERESTED YOU IN YOUR CAREER.
>> IT DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE
INTERESTED ME IN MY CAREER.
I WAS A PHYSICS MAJOR AND THIS
COULD BE APPLIED TO PLANETARY
SCIENCE.
I DIDN'T LEARN THAT UNTIL MUCH
LATER.
IF THERE WAS AN ENHANCEMENT
OPTION WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE,
THAT WOULD HAVE OPENED MY EYES
TO PLANETARY TECHNOLOGY AS A
FIELD MUCH EARLIER.
>> THANK YOU, LYNNAE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS A NEW ANNOUNCEMENT,
DRAGONFLY.
WE'RE JUST GETTING UP AND
RUNNING.
THERE WILL BE MORE MATERIALS IN
THE FUTURE.
YOU CAN GO TO WWW.NASA.GOV AND
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET
INVOLVED WITH DRAGONFLY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SOCIAL
MEDIA TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, THAT'S #ASK NASA.
DAVID WANTS TO KNOW, AND I THINK
THIS IS ONE FOR YOU, CURT, HOW
CAN YOU BE SURE THAT DRAGONFLY
WON'T BRING BACK CONTAMINATION.
>> THAT IS CALLED PLANETARY
PROTECTION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
DON'T CONTAMINATE WHAT WE'RE
GOING THERE FOR TO STUDY.
AND THEN WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL
NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING TO TITAN.
WE HAVE PROCESSES AND TECHNIQUES
THAT WE USE THAT CLAN ALL OF
OUR SPACECRAFT, WE MAKE SURE
THAT THE SPACECRAFT ARE VERY
CLEAN.
SOMETIMES PARTS ARE BAKED AT
HIGH TEMPERATURES.
WE KNOW ONCE WE LAND, IT'S MINUS
300 DEGREES.
ANYTHING WE THAT BRING ALONG
THAT IS ALIVE IS GOING TO EVEN
IF OUR CLEANING PROCE THIS, ESIS
FAIL WE CAN THINGS WE CAN FALL
BACK ON.
>> WHAT WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY TO
MARS.
>> THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THERE
IS A LOT OF METHANE ON TITAN.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT MARS IS A
SMALL AMOUNT.
THEY'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT THOSE MEASUREMENTS MEAN AND
HOW IT EFFECTS US THROUGH TIME.
BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS
THAT METHANE SHOULD NOT STICK
AROUND.
IT SHOULD BREAK APART.
SO SOMETHING IS REPLENISHING IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT
TO UNDERSTAND AND DRAGONFLY WILL
HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
THE SOURCE OF ALL THAT METHANE.
WE THINK IT'S GEOLOGIC IN
NATURE, NOT BIO LOGIC.
BUT IT CAN HAVE A ROLE, AND
WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE.
>> INTERESTING.
ONE FOR YOU, LYNNAE, CAN STUDENT
FROM AROUND THE WORLD WORK ON
THE DRAGONFLY PROJECT.
>> CAN STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE
WORLD WORK ON THE DRAGONFLY
PROJECT?
I'M SURE WE'LL FIND A WAY FOR
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WILL INTEREST
INTERESTED TO WORK ON THIS,
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE STUDENTS
FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS
TO WORK WITH US ON THS MISSION.
>> A LOT OF DETAILS STILL TO BE
WORKED OUT.
DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO GET
EXCITED ABOUT.
HERE IS AN INTERESTING ONE FOR
YOU, CURT.
WILL WE SEE IMAGES OF SATURN IN
THE TITANIUM SKY?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I
DON'T KNOW?
CAN YOU SEE ENOUGH OF SATURN
THREW THE CLOUDS AND THICK, HAZY
ATMOSPHERE?
>> I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU COULD.
MAYBE A FAINT TRACE, BUT I DON'T
THINK WE'LL SEE MUCH OF SATURN
THREW THE CLOUDS.
>> STAY TUNE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> IS THERE A LIMIT ON DRAGONFLY
ACE FLIGHT?
>> THE ULTIMATE LIMIT IS THE
MMRCG, THE NUCLEAR POWER SOURCE.
THAT'S WHAT CHARGES UP THE
BATTERY.
BUT FORTUNATELY, WITH THE WAY
WE'VE DESIGNED THIS MISSION, IT
WILL TAE RATE YEARS BEFORE THAT
PARTICULAR ENOUGH POWER SOURCE
STOPS PROVIDING ENERGY.
BUT THAT'S THE LONG LIMIT.
WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PARTS AND
MOTORS WEAR OUT.
DESIGNING THINGS TO LAST HOW
LONG THEY NEED TO LAST.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE
DESIGNED FOR 90 DAYS FOR MARS
LASTED OVER A DECADE.
>> HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO
DOWNLOAD THE LINK FROM TITAN TO
EARTH?
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
WE HAVE THAT REALLY LARGE HIGH
GAIN ANTENNA.
AND IT IS ABOUT YAY-BIG ACROSS.
WE'LL BE USING THAT, NOT WHEN
WE'RE FLYING BUT WHEN WE'RE
LANDED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DATA RATES
ARE GOING TO BE?
IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES OF
DOWN LINK TIME TO GET EACH
IMAGE.
THAT'S WHY LIBBY SAID WE'RE NOT
GOING TO HAVE HIGH-DEPTH MOVIES
WHEN WE'RE FLYING, BUT WE'LL BE
ABLE TO SEND BACK HIGH-QUALITY
STITCHES TAKEN WHILE IN FLIGHT,
AND THEN STITCH THAT INTO A
MOVIE.
>> WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME
TODAY.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TIME FOR
RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS QUESTIONS.
BUT THIS IS NOT THE END.
THERE IS AN ANOTHER AT 3:00 P.M.
ON MONDAY.
IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK AND ASK
MORE QUESTIONS OF CURT AND
LYNNAE, WE CAN DO THAT.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT
DRAGONFLY?
>> I FEEL LIKE CURT SET ME UP
WITH THAT WITH CRYO VOLCANO.
I CREATE MODELS OF THE SURFACES
OF OCEAN WORLDS.
I'M USED TO THINKING ABOUT WORLD
LIKE EUROPA, AND THERE IS NO
ATMOSPHERE AND NO WEATHER.
BUT WITH TITAN, THAT'S A
DIFFERENT SITUATION.
WE MAY HAVE FLUIDS THAT ERUPT ON
THE SURFACE, SO WE MIGHT HAVE
YOUNG SURFACE AREAS THAT ARE SET
UP AND WEATHERED.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T
REALLY THOUGHTS THAT I HAVEN'T
HAD TO THINK ABOUT, BUT I'M
EXCITED TO THNK ABOUT THEM NOW.
>> JUST THE IDEA THAT WE'RE
GOING TO BE FLYING OVER AN ALIEN
WORLD THAT IS CIRCLING ANOTHER
PLANET IS MIND BOGGLING TO ME.
I THINK AS WE'RE SKIMMING ACROSS
THE THE PICTURES WE GET BACK ARE
GOING TO BE UNBELIEVABLE.
BUT I THINK THE REAL THING THAT
WILL TAKE OUR BREATH AWAY AS
WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER,
AND WE SEE THAT FILL THE IMAGE
AND GET BIGGER AND BIGGER AND WE
GET CLOSER AND CLOSER, THAT'S
GOING TO EXCITE THE ENTIRE
PLANET.
>> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT
THAT, CURT.
THIS IS IT FOR TODAY.
BUT AS I'VE SAID, THIS IS JUST
THE BEGINNING.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT
MISSION, AND PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO BE
INVOLVED IN IT FOR YEARS TO
COME.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON MONDAY AT
3:30.
JOIN US F THAT AND WE'LL HAVE
MORE QUESTIONS AND WE'LL LOOK
FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ALL.
GO DRAGONFLY.
♪